Watson is conditioned to winning

Published 4:00 am, Friday, July 26, 1996

In those scary days when the rest of Allen Watson's season was in doubt, when he would either exercise his pitching elbow back into shape or face the knife, the Giants left-hander rose early each day and drove to Santa Cruz, where he worked out with rehab mate Glenallen Hill.

After lunch, Hill was done. But Watson drove back across the mountain to Candlestick, where he worked some more with Giants rehabilitation coordinator Stan Conte.

After that, Watson said, "I came home and passed out."

The work paid off, however. Not only did Watson cure his elbow without surgery, he hardened his body and strengthened his legs. He may not be ready to challenge Arnold Schwarzenegger in a skyscraper-climbing contest, but Watson said he might be in the best shape of his career.

This all explains how Watson could come off the disabled list Thursday night and go nearly nine innings in his first start since July 1, with his left elbow anything but tender, his pitches anything but rusty.

If only his rehab regimen included a lesson in how not to hang a changeup to Chipper Jones with two men on base, Watson might have had a shutout. Instead, he settled for a 4-3 victory over the world champion Atlanta Braves and four-time Cy Young Award winner Greg Maddux.

"I'm in better shape than I thought," Watson said. "I did a lot of work with Stan, a lot of running. I guess I'll keep on that program and be strong for the rest of the year."

Where do the rest of the Giants pitchers sign up?

In the opener of a four-game series, and with 16,871 at Candlestick watching, Watson started by allowing a Marquis Grissom double that went over the head of Barry Bonds. After that, Watson retired 20 straight Braves until he walked Fred McGriff with two out in the seventh.

"That was one of the best after-DL (disabled list) games I've ever seen," said manager Dusty Baker, who made a fateful decision in the ninth inning.

Watson took a one-hitter and a 4-0 lead into that inning, but Grissom led off by looping a single into no-man's land between the mound and second base. Watson then walked Mark Lemke on four pitches. With Rod Beck ready in the bullpen, Baker walked to the mound.

"I knew he had thrown 112 pitches," Baker said. "I started to go get him but then I said, "Naw, it's his game.' If the tying run was up it would be different, but the best they could do was make it 4-3, which they did.

"He would have killed me if I took him out, and the fans would have lynched me."

As soon as Baker sat back down in the dugout Watson served up the hanger to Jones, who belted it over the bleachers in left-center for his 21st home run. Baker got right back up and yanked Watson.

Beck saved it, and Watson had his first victory since June 9, enabling the Giants to regain a game in the standings and start a series against a tough team on the right foot.

Furthermore, Watson improved to 6-2 lifetime against the Braves.

"The last couple of games they gave me trouble," Watson said, "but I pitched them good. Tom (Lampkin) and I work well together and we had a good idea of what we were going to do. Giving up those three runs hurt me because of the pressure it put on Rod."

But once Beck sealed the game, Watson's only thought was how strong he felt after a 113-pitch return.

"I couldn't believe how long I worked. I only threw 60 pitches in rehab," he said. "I guess it was all the effort I put into it." &lt;